Reeves’ taxes push inflation to 3.5 per cent in ‘Awful April’ May 21, 2025 Inflation bounced back up to 3.5 per cent in April, official data has revealed, underlining the cost burden firms are taking on after Chancellor Reeves’ tax hikes on employers and rise to the national living wage came into effect. Consumer price inflation rose by 1.2 per cent on a month-on-month basis, higher than the last [...]
Reeves takes comfort in the promise of future growth May 21, 2025 The government is having a good week. The Prime Minister, in particular, has a spring in his step following his UK-EU ‘reset’ summit. Addressing MPs in the House of Commons yesterday he seemed to have grown taller. True, it only takes a glance at pictures from last week of Starmer meeting Albania’s 6ft 7in leader [...]
‘Banter ban’ debate rages in House of Lords May 20, 2025 A House of Lords debate on the details of the Employment Rights Bill sparked a row over ‘cancel culture’ on Monday after members took sides on a clause dubbed the “banter ban.” The debate hinged on the definition of “third party harassment” and on whether employers should face a legal duty to protect staff from [...]
Why are the Tories polling behind the Lib Dems? May 20, 2025 The Lib Dems have polled above the Conservatives for the first time, a new survey has found, dealing a blow to the so-called natural party of government. The new poll means the Conservatives have slumped to fourth place, a downgrade one party source said had “put a pit in my stomach” and could be “the [...]
UK halts trade talks with Israel May 20, 2025 The UK has paused trade deal negotiations with Israel in response to its military offensive in Gaza, the foreign secretary has said. Speaking in the Commons, David Lammy confirmed that negotiations with the Israeli government over a bilateral trade pact have been put on ice until the country ensures “unhindered provision of aid”. “We have [...]
Starmer and Badenoch face off over EU deal May 20, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has defended his EU ‘reset’ deal in the House of Commons amid criticism from opposition MPs that the pact unpicks Brexit and sells out the fishing industry. Starmer told MPs that businesses’ reaction to the EU deal was so supportive that he didn’t “have time to run through the list” of [...]
Draper calls on government to invest in tennis and padel May 20, 2025 British No1 Jack Draper is among a number of tennis stars who have called on the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to invest in court facilities. Draper joins the likes of Katie Boulter and Alfie Hewett in expressing concern over potential cuts of funding to tennis facilities, while demanding funds for “high quality community sports [...]
Reeves’ risky borrowing policies prompt fresh tax hike fears May 20, 2025 Tax hike fears are gathering pace as rising borrowing costs are set to wipe out around half of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ small £9.9bn headroom, a leading economics consultancy has warned. Reeves made around £14bn in spending cuts at her Spring Statement two months ago but left herself with one of the slimmest fiscal buffers on [...]
Trio of trade deals puts UK in better position “than any other country,” Rachel Reeves says May 20, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said the UK is now in a better place on trade “than any other country in the world” after securing new trade agreements with India, the US and the EU this month. Reeves said the agreements have “come along like buses,” and that the government’s next targets for trade deals are [...]
Starmer sends his critics into a spin – but will Brexit deal deliver? May 20, 2025 The Prime Minister says it’s now “time to move on from the stale old debates” of Brexit. It’s amazing he didn’t crack a grin as he said these words, knowing as he did that his critics would immediately work themselves up into a frenzy. The critics – including, but not limited to Nigel Farage and [...]